20 , JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



erected by J. G. S., 1831." Mr. Strobridge was interred in the 

 same place two years later. 



Burlington Bay Canal was commenced in 1823 and completed 

 in 1826, the width being only thirty feet. Prior to the building of 

 this canal Ancaster was the county-seat, having in 18 18 twenty 

 prosperous stores ; but many of her most enterprising business peo- 

 ple, such as Edward Jackson, Richard and Samuel Hatt, etc., 

 removed to Hamilton on the opening of the said canal. Afterwards, 

 in 1846, the canal was greatly widened. The contractor for the 

 job, in order to bring stone for the piers from the north mountain, 

 near Waterdown, built a tramway. This tramway equipment was 

 afterwards sold to Andrew Miller, who had a project to build a canal 

 from the bay up the ravine in rear of the Spring Brewery to the 

 intersection of Bay and York streets. It is said that he obtained 

 from Messrs. Hess and Kirkendall thirteen acres of land in the said 

 ravine at a very small price, the chief consideration being that he 

 should build the said canal. When people became impatient at his 

 slow progress with the canal, he finally said he would complete the 

 job at the date fixed by his deed, but upon examination of the deed 

 it was found that no date had been mentioned. 



For a long time " Mountain Road," now John street, was the 

 only road leading from Hamilton to the brow of the mountain. On 

 it were built some of Hamilton's first stores, notably one at the 

 northeast corner of Jackson street, kept by Rplston, and one at the 

 southeast corner of King street, kept by Sheldon. Later on some 

 enterprising property owners opened up James street to the top of 

 the mountain and celebrated the event with great eclat, proclaiming 

 that it would draw the Ancaster and surrounding country trade 

 through it at the expense of John Street, and that in consequence 

 the latter would soon be abandoned as a business street. To em- 

 phasize their statements they hired a farmer to sow John street with 

 grass seed. Commencing at the corner of King street, the agricul- 

 turist went southward scattering his seed until reaching the log jail, 

 from the rear of which he met a shower of odorous eggs, which 

 caused him to beat a quick retreat. 



The old log jail, erected in 1861, stood on a slight elevation on 

 the east side of John street, directly opposite the eastern entrance to the 

 present Court House. It faced the west, but stood a little back from the 

 street, leaving room for the pillory and stocks in front. In it impe- 



